1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a latching device for releasably securing a closure member, such as a panel or door, in the closed position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Trunks of automobiles are usually provided with removable load-floor panels. These panels ordinarily support the weight of objects placed in the trunks of cars and are removable to allow access to a spare tire, for example, which is commonly stored under the load-floor panel. It is common for the load-floor panel to be held in place by gravity and a floor mat that usually covers the load-floor panel. The load-floor panels are usually equipped with handles that are flush with the top surface of the load-floor panel in order to allow a user to remove the panel when necessary. However, this commonly used arrangement has a draw back in that the load-floor panel may become dislodged when traveling over rough roads. Further, because the panel is not positively secured in place, it may become loose and rattle around in the trunk resulting in undesirable noises. Therefore, latches have been proposed in the art to positively secure such load-floor panels in place.
Examples of such latches can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,472 B1, issued to Gert Berg on Sep. 30, 2003, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,332 B2, issued to Ivica Sekulovic on Apr. 13, 2004, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. However, for some applications a latch that requires a reduced closing force, as compared to the latches disclosed in the patents cited above, may be desirable. Accordingly, the need persists in the art for improved latches for positively securing load-floor panels in place.